Shadows
by Pikachulover25
Summary: An elusive villain has been plaguing Radiant Garden and the surrounding cities for four years, troubling its citizens and greatly frustrating the police force. The robberies and killing is hardly anything to Roxas however, but when a girl is unexpectedly thrust into his screwed up life, he must consider if what he's doing is really worthwhile or if it's time to let go.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note:

So if any of my other readers are reading this, I want to apologize for not updating my other stories in a long time since I've been extremely busy and tied up with school. This story however was written a while back and I figured I should put it on here. I want to say that this will not be updated in a long time and although I really like the prospect of it, I am not entirely sure if I am going to continue it. But please enjoy this so far! Thanks :)

* * *

Roxas sat by the window of his apartment watching the rain trickle down the pane. He rested his cheek on his fist as he leaned into the inlet. He listened to the monotonous ticking of the clock on the wall across the room. The only light in the room came from a simple lamp that cast cold shadows over the walls. The blonde did not seem to mind the cool temperature of the room. He wore a high collared black over-shirt that reached nearly to his pointed chin. White underarmor was displayed beneath the shirt as was a yin and yang symbol hanging from a chain around his neck.

Sirens echoed among the tall buildings bordering the city block beneath him. It was a typical noise of the city and Roxas was well used to it. As soon as they began wailing outside, Roxas's eyes focused down to the city stretch far below searchingly. His ears caught the subtle sound of footsteps coming from the stairwell outside. A moment later, the apartment door swung open. In strode a tall figure covered in a hooded black leather trench coat.

"It's done, then?" Roxas asked, not looking up.

The hooded figure nodded, a chuckle emanating from him. "Did you expect anything less?" He asked in a deep voice.

Roxas scoffed. "No." He turned back to the window as the figure removed the hood from his head, revealing spiky raven hair and menacing amber eyes. An arrogant smirk played on his lips. He easily swept off the trench coat. Underneath he wore black pants and black underarmor. He peeled off the sleek leather gloves from his hands. Roxas raised an eyebrow at the raven-haired man as he removed his shirt.

"What? You don't like what you see?" He teased.

Roxas rolled his eyes. "You disgust me." Vanitas shrugged, smirking once more before sauntering of to the bathroom to shower. Roxas rose from his seat by the window as his phone buzzed on the table. He slowly reached for it before pressing the screen.

A text message was displayed on the screen. His dark cobalt eyes scanned the words, his fist clenching in response. After fully reading the message, the blonde strode to the closet, pulling out a black leather jacket. He shut the door louder than he intended to before he went into his room. As he was rummaging through his desk for his gloves, Vanitas peered through the doorway wearing only a towel around his waist.

"You going somewhere?" He questioned.

Roxas gave him a sidelong glance as he retrieved his fingerless gloves, pulling them on. "Meeting," he said, not revealing anymore.

Vanitas leaned further against the doorway, crossing his arms. "Any details?"

Roxas ignored him, as he swept past. Vanitas frowned as he watched his blonde roommate go to the door. "Fine, fine. Don't tell me. I'll find out soon enough." He grinned deviously. Roxas turned back and glared at him before he closed the door, leaving the apartment.

Roxas tersely ran a hand through his tousled blonde hair before pulling up the hood as he quickly descended the steps of the stairwell. He didn't mind the exercise; it helped him keep his mind sharp and allowed him some time to think without being surrounded by other people. The night was chilly as it caressed his exposed face when Roxas stepped out onto the sidewalk. He immediately turned left, shoving his hands into his pockets. He kept his head low, ducking it into the collar of his over-shirt.

As he walked, a couple of scandalously dressed girls glanced at him, winking and gesturing at him, but the blonde pair them no attention. Roxas kept his shoulders tense and hunched, his strides smooth and even. He turned into a bar that was covered with neon signs on the front. It was not extremely busy, but five men were scattered along the bar and several tables were filled. The bar was a long and narrow one. The lighting was dim and shadows constantly lurked along the walls. Roxas walked through the bar towards the back where more secluded booths lined the wall. Only one booth there was occupied. In it sat a man cloaked in the shadows. Brown eyes lit with a fiery intensity glinted from within his obscured face. His hands were folded neatly in front of him, where his wrists were covered with the dark sleeves of a blazer.

"Number Thirteen," The man's suave voice greeted the blonde coldly.

Roxas slid into the booth stiffly, adopting the man's folded hand position. "You must have drawn me here for a reason."

The man chuckled lowly. "What I have you were merely directions. You were drawn here for pay." Roxas felt the fire within flare at the man's arrogant response. The man continued.

"You have an excellent reputation and an even better record," he began. "And I hear you are even more capable with your partner."

"What do you want?" growled Roxas.

The man leaned forward, revealing a strong chin and prominent nose. "I want you to do a job for me," Roxas's eyes met his, unwavering. "Solo." The man leaned back while Roxas thought for a moment.

"What kind of job do you want me to do?"

The man flashed his teeth, smirking. "It's a corporate job. The company I work for is trying to merge with another. Perhaps you've heard of it. Hikari Incorporated," The man held a deceitful grin while Roxas's eyes flashed with familiarity. "The preside of the company is an old man. We need his son to take over the company so we can bend his will in order to agree with our plans," The man's expression melted away, instead being replaced with a deep scowl of seriousness. "The old man needs to go."

Roxas's nodded throughout the man's background review. He looked down at the table as the man slid a manila folder across the tabletop.

"Here are the files on the president and the corporation. They are extremely confidential." Roxas nodded gravely. His eyebrows lowered at the man's reminding him one of the greatest things that pissed him off. He did not like being treated like a rookie. He was far from it.

"Is there a preference as to how you want this done?" Roxas asked, managing to suppress his surfacing irritation.

The man tossed a hand into the air carelessly. "You're the one I'm hiring to carry this out. I trust you will find a discrete way to tackling this job."

Roxas twitched an eye. He had already analyzed the man before him just from the few details he had been shown. He was young, maybe in his early thirties, based on his voice and exposed features. Roxas knew exactly the kind of guy he was: young and hungry, enough to do everything in his power to improve his status but not wanting to get his hands dirty. Arrogant bastard.

Roxas stood, slipping the folder into his jacket. He shook the man's hand tightly, reminding him he was not a rookie to underestimate, despite his looks.

"I will make sure that your will is carried out smoothly." He said.

The man smirked. "Good. And make sure that it does. Your pay will come once the task is complete."

Roxas nodded once more before he turned and left the bar. The night was tense as he walked back to his apartment. Roxas weighed out all that the man had said carefully, analyzing every word and implication. Corporate jobs were always fun in his opinion. He got to screw with sticklers and he loved the risky thrill of messing with rich bastards. The only bad thing that came with was the requirement to wear a suit, but that was minor. They were relatively simple and always straightforward, as well as less complicated than ones with the mob. But then again, the Organization was a mob itself.

The blonde's mind began whirring as his instincts began to kick in. Poison was always an option but impossible to cover up in an autopsy. Accidents however could always be arranged, and as much as he liked risks, he hated messing with poison. Also, external resources sometimes had to be used, which could be inconvenient. Direct execution was easiest and most entertaining, but had to be carefully covered and planned. While he had an urge to go ahead with poison since the target was older, Roxas decided that a clean execution would be more preferable. It was always a win since it was the most reliable method.

By the time he reached his apartment, Roxas had already formulated nearly his entire plan of action. When he entered the apartment, Vanitas was stretched across the black couch, his head propped against his arms, watching TV.

"So what was your meeting about?" The raven-haired boy immediately sprung upon his partner as he lazily watched the blonde stride to his room.

Roxas shrugged nonchalantly. "Solo job. Corporate."

Vanitas rolled his eyes. "Corporate. Fun."

Roxas scoffed. "You're just jealous that I look better in a suit than you," he called as he stuck his head out of his doorway.

Vanitas abruptly sat up, a dark grin spreading on his lips. He propped his arms behind his head as he said, "And that is why, my friend you get to dress up and I do all the dirty work."

Roxas smirked. "What do you mean, 'dirty work'? I think we're equal on that." He threw the manila folder onto his desk and picked up his tablet. Roxas sat down at his desk after closing his room's door to escape the TV's noise. He opened the manila folder and took out the enclosed pictures, examining each closely. The president was not as old as Roxas had expected, but was listed as in his sixties. He fit his company's profile, which was known for its great developments in science and technology. His blonde hair was streaked with signs of gray and a trim beard covered his lower facial features. His son was definitely young, about his own age. His unruly brown hair was stuck up with use of excessive hair gel while his deep blue eyes were soft and not nearly as intense as his father's. In the picture Roxas held in his hand, the young man held a carefree grin on his face. He certainly matched the report, describing his relaxed attitude and activities.

Roxas researched the given file to even the utmost obscure details late into the night. He was satisfied when he discovered that the company would be holding an outdoor press conference for their newest building a week ahead. And to add to his meticulously calculated plans, the president would be making a speech. It was perfect. Roxas printed off maps of the area as well as the architectural diagrams to the surrounding buildings. He went to sleep very satisfied.

Roxas was struck out of his zone when Vanitas walked into his room.

"I'm going to Traverse Town next Tuesday."

Roxas nodded automatically. "That's fine. My job's on Saturday anyways." Vanitas nodded without saying anything before returning to his own room. Roxas sighed as he leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms. Then he stood and crawled into bed. He shut his eyes, ready for sleep, but his mind kept spinning, thinking, calculating. He was an assassin. It was part of the job.

* * *

"That Shadow Strikes Again – Gah!" A young silver-aired man slapped the newspaper down on his desk, pinning it with his fist. "Why can't we ever get a lead on this guy?"

"He's just that damn good," muttered a cocky haired blonde with warm brown eyes that were faded with frustration.

"Then we have to be better!" growled the lieutenant with a snarl.

Hayner raised his hands in reaction to the man's response. "Hey, I'm just sayin' this dude is really good at covering his tracks. He's certainly a professional, so we just have to look for his minor mistakes, right? Then we can put them together to find out more about him."

Riku lowered his head while his arms shook in frustration. "This guy doesn't make mistakes. He's been around for four years and he has the most minimal profile we have!"

"Where did this guy even come from?" asked an intern.

Hayner shrugged while Riku answered tersely, "Who the hell knows. He popped up four years ago and since then he's been wrecking havoc all over."

"Where's he hit?" the intern asked curiously.

A passing cop raised an eyebrow while Hayner hissed into his ear, "He's from out of town," When the kid kept his stare on him, Hayner sighed, pulling out a map of Radiant Garden and the surrounding cities. "Here, Traverse, Twilight, Hollow Bastien, basically everywhere. And he's damn quick, too. He'll do a job in one city and then another in a different city a day or two later." The intern whistled lowly, his eyes wide.

Riku snorted. "And then he'll go and crawl under a rock for a few weeks and disappear off the face of the earth. Then a month later something will go missing or someone will be struck dead in a too-clean fashion to be just an ordinary murder."

The intern rubbed his chin in thought. "What does he look like?"

Hayner released a long sigh, making Riku glare at him. "That's the most stupidest thing of all," he said. He slid a couple pictures from a file over the desk for the intern to look at. "He wears a long black trench coat with a hood. Always wears black and gloves to cover up his dirty work."

The intern looked at the pictures, all remaining hope disappearing in an instant. They were all security pictures and none of his features could be made out except for the lower face. No eyes or hands or anything.

"How does this guy get away then? I mean, he'd be spotted easily if he wears a coat like that, right?"

Riku ran a hand over his face in exasperation as he sighed. "That's the problem. He's very neat and knows exactly what he's doing. As soon as he's done, it's like he disappears into thin air." Hayner groaned while the intern furrowed his brow.

"And there's no way to figure out what he'll do next?"

The cops shook their heads. "It's as if he'll do anything he can get, and I'm sure that's the case since all the jobs he's done would have paid out a considerable amount of money. Trust me, the Shadow's done everything you can imagine."

The intern didn't say anything for a while, contemplating on the given information. "But what about his supplier? Wouldn't a record be somewhere of where he gets his guns and stuff?"

Hayner looked up hopefully at the situation, but Riku shook his head. "We tried that, but nothing came up. We figure that he's linked to the mob."

"But then go in and confront them about it!" He exclaimed.

Riku shook his head again. "The Organization…even we can't mess with them. Sure, we've had them all locked up here multiple times, but nothing major. Plus, they won't leak us any information. I'm sure they have recordable names, but we'll never be able to get them. There's no proof."

"Just a hunch," muttered Hayner under his breath.

The intern sunk into his chair, his gaze lowered. "Well…that's…we're fucked."

Riku scoffed. "Boy, we've been thinking that since that devil showed up."

* * *

"What are you thinking about?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing?"

The auburn-haired young woman put her hands on her hips. "Sora, I know you're thinking of something. What's on your mind? You've been frowning all evening. What happened to smiley Sora?" Kairi asked gently.

Sora chuckled, leaning away from the railing he leant upon. "He's still here. I was just thinking about the press conference on Saturday. Father's been put under a lot of pressure by his rival companies recently. He hopes that by opening the new building they'll back off of him. He's still capable of running the company himself, and that's what he's trying to prove to them."

Kairi patted him on the shoulder. "You shouldn't worry so much about your father. He's fine and able."

Sora scratched his head. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Anyways, I've got a beautiful girlfriend to focus on!" Kairi giggled as she twirled around, showing off the long crimson dress she was wearing. She smiled brightly as Sora's eyes lit up, his trademark grin returning to his face.

"Tonight's our night out, so we should best enjoy it." Sora offered Kairi his arm, which she gladly accepted. As the young couple moved back into the ballroom, a certain blonde caught Sora's eye.

"Ven! I thought you said you couldn't make it." Sora exclaimed when he saw his friend's figure a short distance away from them.

The figure turned around, revealing his dark cobalt eyes and his trademark swoop of golden hair over his forehead. He was dressed sharply in a black Armani suit and his hands were casually shoved into his pockets. The blonde man held a calm yet brooding look upon his face that turned into a small smile that almost seemed a smirk as he turned to face the brunette.

"Ah, Sora! Well, my schedule unexpectedly cleared up, so I decided to come tonight," His smile/smirk grew as Sora's smile widened. Just as a passing waiter slid by, Ven grabbed a thin glass of champagne. He raised it so its contents caught a warm golden glow in the party's lights.

"My lady," Ven graciously handed the glass to Kairi, who smiled.

"Oh Ven, always so chivalrous!"

Ven narrowed his eyes, smirking. "A gesture of kindness can go a long way," he said, winking.

Sora glanced around the room. "No date tonight? That's unusual for you, Ven." Sora said, raising an eyebrow playfully.

Ven rolled his eyes. "Eh, last minute, you know."

Kairi giggled as the trio began moving more central in the room. "Then we'll have to find you a lovely young lady for you to dance with! We don't want you hanging around here all alone!" Kairi took a glance around before she spotted a familiar face. She then unexpectedly grabbed Ven's arm and dragged him over to where a friend stood, making him frown slightly.

Kairi noticed the firm muscles underneath his sleeve. "Have you been working out, Ven?"

Ven stiffened slightly, but said, "Yeah, when I get the time."

Kairi winked at him. "Well, it will surely give you a boost with the ladies."

Ven blinked at her before he chuckled. "I'll take your word for it." Kairi laughed as they came upon her friend. She had long platinum blonde hair and sparkling azure eyes. A shy smile played on her lips as she looked up to the blonde stranger.

"Ven, this is my friend, Namine. She works for the _Times_," Kairi grinned at the two of them. "Well, dance! Get to know each other! Have fun!" she said gleefully before retreating back to Sora.

Namine looked down at her hands nervously. Ven's gaze scanned over the girl skeptically. She wore a slimming black pencil skirt and a white blouse covered by a black vest. The skirt showed off her slender pale legs and ended that ended with her feet in a pair of delicate black heels. Her hair was pinned up in a sophisticated bun behind her head, but a couple strands were beginning to break from the bobby pins that held them back.

"You're a journalist then?" Ven asked curiously. A strange glint shone in his eyes.

Namine bashfully met his gaze. "Yes," Ven's eyes softened at the girl's timid nature.

"Black doesn't suit you," he said bluntly, gaining the girl's immediately attention. "And I think your hair would look much nicer down."

Namine blushed, a fast rush of red flooding to her cheeks. "Y-you flatter me. But I try to maintain a professional look at the office. Just as I imagine you maintain wearing suits everyday at the company?" Ven smirked. Then something dawned on him.

"You're covering the grand opening, aren't you?"

Namine nodded. "Yes, that's my job this week."

Ven thought for a moment when he suddenly held out his hand to her. "Would you like to dance?"

Namine blushed again. "Oh, I'm not dressed-" Ven was already pulling her towards the dance floor when he gave her an encouraging smile.

"Nonsense," he smirked. "Plus if we don't soon, I have a feeling Kairi will march over here and intervene." Namine held up a hand as she giggled when Ven snatched it, placing one in his hand and the other on his shoulder. Namine felt her cheeks head up when she felt his hand on her small waist.

"Must be busy over at the _Times_ because of the Shadow and the press conference."

Namine's smile faded. "Yes, the Shadow's appearance certainly has caused turmoil at the office."

Ven nodded seriously. "I'm sure he did."

Namine looked up at him. "So you think the Shadow is a man?"

Ven's eyes narrowed at her question. "Oh, I just-"

"Many do, but there are some people at the office who think the Shadow is a woman." Stated Namine, looking away.

Ven gazed at her curiously. "And what do you think?"

Namine looked back, shrugging. "I personally believe it's a man. Most who kill like the Shadow does aren't women."

Ven cleared his throat. "What do you think about him? The Shadow?"

Namine blinked. "Most people get angry or upset when they consider his crimes, but I try to think from a more psychological view point," Ven raised an eyebrow as she continued. "I wonder why he does the things he does. Does he feel like he has no other use for his talents? Is he being pressured? I'd like to know why the man behind his guise. I want to know more about the Shadow as an actual person. A lot of the time the media makes out criminals to be like animals that have no control or moral conscience, or pitiful psychopaths, or poor confused people. But I don't think the Shadow's any of those. I think he is lost and doesn't know what else to do." Namine's voice was nearly a monotone, but its softness carried an emotional air to it.

Ven chuckled. "You've really thought the matter through,"

Namine blushed. "Oh, was I rambling? I'm sorry, I sometimes get a bit carried away in my theories."

Ven shook his head. "No, it's fine. I didn't think you were rambling," he said with a smile. He glanced down, thinking of what she had said. "Did you study psychology?"

Namine gave him a shy look. "Journalism and psychology. I know, they're a little odd together, but-"

"How did you get into journalism, then? You're very good at analyzing even though you've never met the Shadow." Said Ven, cutting her off.

Namine looked away. "Kairi pulled some strings and got me an interview at the _Times_ after I graduated from college. Unfortunately, there were no offerings for a psychologist."

Ven looked into her eyes. She seemed…disappointed in herself, he wondered. He saw how much passion she had and how she was stuck doing something that only adequately filled her capacity. Without that passion she seemed almost empty.

"So what do you do?" When Namine asked, Ven could see the distraction in her eyes.

Ven smiled. "I'm in R & D, research and development."

Namine cocked her head curiously. "Do you have a degree in science then?"

Ven nodded. "Physics and engineering."

Namine raised her eyebrows, impressed. "You must be very intelligent then."

Ven smirked. "A calculating mind runs in my family."

Namine gazed at Ven as they danced, not speaking for a few moments. He looked very handsome in his sleek suit, but the way his golden hair stuck up gave him a carefree yet reckless look. She saw in his face a suave and cocky, devil-may-care attitude that was strangely amusing and attracting. He looked very mature, yet his eyes were dark and stormy, making them early unreadable.

"What's this from?" Namine's voice suddenly brought him out of his reverie. Them muscles in his neck tightened as he felt her soft fingers tracing a scar behind his ear, barely a hair's width. Ven bit his lip as he met her wondering gaze.

"Ah, I got it when I was wrestling with my brother when I was younger."  
Namine blinked. "You have a brother

Ven slowly nodded. "Yes, I have an older brother. He's in the army."

Namine noticed something in his eyes, but it disappeared as soon as she noticed it. His eyes hardened. He glanced down.

"I see you are friends with Kairi. How well do you know Sora?"

Namine tilted her head to the side. "Only from what I've heard from her or what I've seen myself when I've been with them. He's really very nice. Him and Kairi compliment each other very well." Ven noticed the small sigh she let out.

"Hm, what's wrong?"

Namine's eyes widened at his comment as she looked up. "What? I-" She met his piercing gaze. "Oh, it's just…I've never met anyone who's made me as happy as Sora does Kairi. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I can't help but wish for someone like that. Someone I can rely on like she does," she averted her gaze quickly. Her hand tightened on his shoulder, wanting to wrap itself around her own torso protectively. "I-I'm sorry if I'm boring you. I just-" Namine's words choked off when Ven's fingers held her chin, lifting her gaze to hers to meet his.

"No, you're not boring me at all. In fact, you're one of the most interesting girls I've ever met."

"Really?" Ven's gaze softened at the wary sound of her voice.

"Yes." Ven leaned his forehead in so it gently touched hers. The caress of his breath washed over Namine, making her heart pound in her chest. She felt his fingers squeeze around her waist. Then, his hand moved to her cheek, his knuckles meeting the soft flesh.

"Your fingers are rougher than I expected," Namine quietly said.

Ven's eyes flashed in surprise. "I play guitar." He responded.

Namine raised an eyebrow. "A guy in a suit who plays guitar? I haven't heard that one before?" she giggled.

Ven frowned. "I like to enjoy myself when I'm not working." He defended. Namine smiled. She inhaled sharply as Ven leaned towards her so that they were only millimeters apart. Ven was taller than her, so she had no choice but to stare at his lips directly in front of her. Time seemed to stop for the blonde. She felt a surge of adrenaline that tempted her to kiss him right then and there. But she was too late. Ven suddenly backed away, bringing the distance between them to almost two feet. Namine stepped back slightly herself in reaction. Ven glanced down at the floor. His eyes widened and he checked his watch.

"I'm sorry, but I have to cut our 'date' short," Ven grinned, but his eyes had a sad apologetic look in them. "It was very nice to meet you." Namine was caught by surprise when he grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. He pressed her fingers closed around it and leaned toward her so his lips were against her ear. "Maybe we'll cross paths again someday." When Ven retreated, his face was upset but it held a longing yet hopeful expression. Then he disappeared into the crowd.

"Namine? Where's Ven?" Sora placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn and face him.

Namine knit her hands together. "He had to leave." Sora raised his eyebrows. Then he sighed.

"Knowing him, he wanted to get more work done. I swear, he doesn't enjoy himself enough."

"He didn't seem like a workaholic," she mentioned.

Sora shook his head. "No, he loves what he does. Almost too much, though."

Ven quickly left the building, exiting through the back door into the adjacent alleyway. He looked around before heading down it. About twenty feet down, a figure clad in black stepped out from the shadows. The figure abruptly tossed him a backpack, while he caught with ease. He hastily removed his jacket and shirt and shoved them into the backpack. Then he pulled out a T-shirt and black hooded jacket, which he donned. He swung the backpack over his shoulder and the pair made their way back to the main city drag.

"So, how'd it go?" asked Vanitas casually, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Roxas shrugged. "I didn't get as much as I wanted, but I guess that's just my need for perfection. But I learned an ample amount about his friends."

"How so?" Vanitas glanced at him. Roxas pulled up the zipper of his jacket and placed the hood over his head.

"His girlfriend, her friend. It seems that he spends a lot of time with his girlfriend. He definitely likes to play and do his own thing without taking much responsibility from his father."

"Mm. Was the girl hot?"

Roxas glared at his raven-haired counterpart. "She's out of your league."

Vanitas scoffed. "No woman's out of my league."

Roxas laughed harshly. "You womanizer."

His partner smirked. "That's a compliment. So…you met her friend? Was she hot too?"

Roxas punched him in the shoulder before sighing. "She was…different. I wish I hadn't been playing my brother," he trailed off.

Vanitas threw him a strange look, elbowing him in the ribs. "Eh, you liked her?"

Roxas shook his head. "Well…I don't know. But she's the first girl I've met that seemed down to earth. She had some qualities that reminded me of…me."

Vanitas shrugged. "You gonna try to see her again?"

Roxas inclined his head, sighing in frustration. "I wish, but you know it's too dangerous for guys like us to be in a relationship."

Vanitas scoffed. "That never stopped me."

Roxas glared at him. "Yeah, when the longest relationship you've had lasted a whole week."

"Two weeks!" cried Vanitas, his eyes flashing both with anger and knowing.

Roxas shook his head, chuckling. As much as he wished to see Namine again, to get to know her, he knew it wasn't possible. He had been Ven back there, not Roxas. He was a bad influence and dangerous. Roxas's shoulders slumped as he lowered his head. His life was a curse.

* * *

"Ven!" The blonde slowed his pace for his energetic friend to catch up. Sora dashed down the hallway before he stopped next to him. The two immediately fell into step together as they walked to the elevator.

"Hey. How was your weekend, Sora?" Ven asked casually.

Sora smiled. "Good, as always. I came to ask you how it went with Namine. I never did get to talk to you about it."

As the two men stepped into the elevator carriage, Ven gave Sora a confused look. "Who's Namine?"

Sora's jaw dropped in bewilderment. "Who's Namine? Ven, you met her on Saturday night at the gala."

Ven shook his head. "Sora, I was visiting my friends Saturday. I didn't go to the gala."

Sora's eyes widened. "B-but Kairi and I saw you there! You said your schedule cleared up so you could come. You were there, Ven!"

Ven's head was spinning as he glanced upward, thinking. How could he have been to the gala if he was somewhere else? Unless…

"I know this is extremely confusing for you Sora, but I have to go," Ven said, stepping out of the elevator on the next floor.

Sora, puzzled, could only nod. "A-alright. I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Ven waved shortly before he turned and left, leaving Sora behind scratching his head. Ven walked quickly down the street, digging out his phone from his pocket. He glanced down, navigating to his contacts and scrolling down to a name he seldom called. Ven swore his pulse increased as the line rang for a while until the recipient picked up.

"What?" The voice was sharp and biting, hardly masking their irritation.

"What the_ hell_ were you doing, masquerading as me at the company gala?" demanded Ven.

The voice coughed before letting out a chuckle. "Oh, heh that? You needn't worry about that. I got what I wanted and did no harm." This time, the voice was lighter and cocky.

Ven snarled. "How do I know you didn't do any harm? You have no right to be using me as your alias without me knowing."

Roxas sighed. "I didn't do anything, Ven. Even with that girl, I didn't mention…myself," He chuckled. "I played the perfect you."

Ven inclined his head in frustration. "Let me guess, you're not going to tell me what this job is, are you?"

Roxas snorted. "No, but I'll say you're not going to like it. Or…maybe you will. No, you won't." he teased.

Ven groaned. "Ah, knowing this has something to do with the company, I know I'm not going to like it," Then a thought came to him. "Oh, so who's this Namine girl?"

The line went silent for a second. "If you heard anything from Sora, I didn't sleep with her.

Ven's eyes widened. "What were you doing?"

"Hey, Kairi set us up. We mainly talked about her work anyways," replied Roxas. "We just danced and then I had to leave, got it?"

Ven managed a smirk. "You did the Cinderella on her? Oh, that's low, bro."

Roxas sighed. "Hey, suits and galas may be for you, but definitely not me," Roxas paused, and then continued. "Anyways, if you get set up on a date with her, treat her well. She's a nice girl, but lonely."

Ven noted the slight wistful note in his voice. "You liked her, didn't you?"

Roxas was silent. Then: "I cant' be in a relationship with anyone, even if I do hold affection for them." He said quietly.

Ven made a melancholy smile. "Stop saying things like that. That's you putting up a wall, Roxas. You cut yourself off from any relationship that can actually mean something. If you really like her, you can always stop what you're doing and go see her again." Silence filled his ear as he waited for a response. There was none. Ven took the phone away from his ear and looked at it. Roxas had hung up.

* * *

It was late at night, nearly one in the morning. A slim figure cloaked in black slipped through the city's network of alleys stealthily. Only the gangs and drunks and hookers were out wandering at this time of night. The wanderers paid him no mind as the figure stole down the streets. When one homeless man tried to grab onto the figure's sleeve, he instantly twisted the man's arm and threw him down upon his back to the ground without hesitation. Only a few passerbies saw the incident but paid the man no mind. The figure strode on before turning into his destination, a populated club.

The exterior was heavily decorated with neon signs and red light pulsed through the windows, matching the loud music blasting from within. The man evenly descended the steps into the club, which resided below the street level. As soon as the man slid inside, he was lost in the crowd moving in the club. The figure made his way towards the back of the club until he reached a long hallway that ended with the emergency exit. There was a door adjacent to the door to the left however, and the man stopped at it. The man took out a key card from his pocket and swiped it past the detector. A light on the door turned green and the man pressed forward past the door. It led to another corridor that led to a second descending staircase. Down below, it was much quieter, although the music's pulse was still clearly audible.

A tall figure was waiting for the man, casually leaning against the wall with their arms crossed. The figure wore leather pants and a black hooded jacket. Their face was obscured but the lower half was visible. There on his lips as cocky smirk played. As the man approached, the figure uncrossed his arms and peeled them self off the wall.

"Good to see you. Been a while since you last stopped by." The figure spoke. His voice was definitely male held a strong sarcastic air. The man nodded. The figure motioned him forward and turned away, leading him further down the corridor.

"You must be pretty busy. It seems like you only swing by for supplies anymore." The figure glanced back at the man, who didn't reply.

The figure's mouth turned down into a scowl. "You don't get out much anymore, do you? You're becoming a man of very little words." At this, the man smirked. The two men walked into a room where a small couch and a long bar stood.

The shorter man looked around the room. "It's empty."

The taller man, who had grabbed a metal case, nodded. "You know them. They're probably off getting drunk and hooking up and frolicking who knows where," he said dismissively, waving a hand.

The man snorted. "And you didn't go with them?" he asked in an amused tone.

"I had to give this to you," the tall man said, smirking. He tossed the case to the man, who easily caught it in his gloved hands.

"Thanks, Ax. I don't know what I'd do without you." He said sarcastically.

Axel frowned at his comment. "You've been doing a lot without me. But I know you're busy."

Roxas sighed and bit his lip. "Axel, I know you want me to come back, but I don't want that. I don't want to be chained down like them." Axel's jaw tightened. It was no use. They had had this very conversation several times before to no avail. He sighed and began to turn away.

"Whatever. As long as you're content."

Roxas glared at his friend's retreating form, but his words had struck home as they always did. Finally, Roxas exhaled deeply and made his leave. His mind was occupied by Axel's comment. Was he really content with what he was doing? Was he happy? The only time he was truly happy was when he _wasn't_ being himself. Like when he snuck in places under Ven's identity. Like when he had met Namine. Roxas furrowed his brow as his cheeks heated up as he remembered the sweet yet hauntingly lonely blonde. She was so much alike him it seemed to be impossible. They were so different, yet so alike at the same time. But if he revealed his true identity to her, would she understand him? Would she hate him for what he was? What he did? Roxas grasped the side of his head in frustration. What was he thinking? He had only just met her! She probably had already forgotten about him. Roxas dropped his head. What was the point? Nobody would fully understand him, let alone forgive him for all his sins. He had made so many mistakes; he couldn't even count them anymore.

For the first time in a long time, Roxas considered suicide. His mind immediately began calculated the various methods when the rational part of his mind kicked in. He was thinking of all of this because of some girl he had unexpectedly met! Roxas felt a flare of anger, although he wasn't quite sure why. Maybe it was because she seemed both a source of hope and an anchor, dragging him down to the depth of darkness. Roxas narrowed his eyes, fire burning in them. He decided he hated the girl.


	2. Chapter 2

Vanitas muttered lowly to himself as he unlocked the door to his apartment, kicking it open roughly with the toe of his combat boot. His eyes were wide and bloodshot and he slumped forward in desperate need of sleep. He didn't spare a second to flip on the lights as he marched inward, tearing off his coat and throwing it atop the sofa. His hand was already at the edge of his shirt, about to rip it off when he heard a clatter in the bathroom. He froze, his eyes narrowing. He slowly crept toward the room, noting the beam of light that flooded out from the crack under the door, which was left open a hair. Pressing his hand against the bathroom door, he pushed it open, his eyes widening at the scene inside.

His blonde companion was leant against the foot of the counter with his legs sprawled before him. His head was tilted back as his eyes rolled up at him at his sudden entrance. That wasn't what caught Vanitas's attention however. Roxas's arm was outstretched and his fingers grasped for the razor he had dropped onto the cold tiled floor. His shirtsleeves were rolled up past his elbows sloppily and the top button of his shirt was lazily undone. Along the exposed flesh of the undersides of his arms were multiple lines of red, fresh and raw.

Vanitas sucked in a terse breath at the sight; it had never been this bad before. His amber eyes dropped to the razor that had slid across the floor, painting a gruesome line of red in its wake. As Roxas desperately reached for it, Vanitas swept forward, kicking it out of his range. He bent forward, snatching it up quickly. He held it up in front of the blonde's face, allowing for him to get a good look at the bloody tool he held between his fingers.

"Roxas…Roxas!" The blonde's eyes wavered between him and the razor hesitantly. Vanitas sighed. Then he caught a glimpse of an orange pill bottle on the floor under the edge of the counter. Only a few pills were scattered beside it. Vanitas gritted his teeth, grinding them in frustration between turning his fiery gaze back onto Roxas.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He cried, shaking the razor in front of his face before flinging it away. He fell to his knees, quickly opening the cabinet beside him and grabbing out rolls of gauze and rubbing alcohol. Vanitas immediately set to work cleaning the boy's wounds, who didn't respond. He opened the blonde's shirt, stripping it off. The effects of the alcohol from that night were completely drained from him as he performed the sobering job.

Blood was splattered on his lean chest, running up his neck in streaks marked by fingers. Vanitas washed Roxas off who slumped back, his head tilting to the side. His eyes slid shut, urging Vanitas to move faster. Soon enough he had both of the blonde's arms tightly wrapped in gauze. Vanitas took him by the shoulders, pushing him more properly against the cabinet. Removing his hand from his left shoulder, he observed the darkly marked XIII tattooed into his skin. Just the sight of the eternal marking made him itch to roll up his own sleeve to reveal the strange symbol marked on his own shoulder. He pressed a hand against Roxas's chest, feeling for the thump of his heart. It was faint and slowed but still present, making him breath a sigh of relief. At the sound, Roxas's eyes flickered beneath their lids, which Vanitas caught.

"Roxas," He repeated the blonde's name, shaking him by the shoulders before snarling and slapping him harshly across the face. "Roxas!"

Roxas's head twisted to the side as his cobalt eyes flew open. They still rolled around before finally landing on the raven-haired man. Vanitas placed his face centimeters from his so he looked straight into his amber orbs.

"Why did you do that, RoxaS?" He questioned softly. Roxas's lips parted and his tongue slid out to moisten their parched surface. Vanitas could quite nearly see the gears turning in his head in registration.

"I…wanted to know how it felt," Roxas choked out, an empty smirk pulling at his lips. Vanitas shook his head at his nonsense.

"Stupid, stupid kid," he muttered under his breath. He grabbed both of his shoulders as he said clearly, "What happened, Roxas? Tell me what happened that really caused this."

In Roxas's eyes something glinted in their obsidian facets, but only for a second "I told you, didn't I? I needn't tell you more." The usual frustrated tone of his voice had returned as he glared at Vanitas.

"That's a lie, Roxas," Vanitas growled, knocking him against the cabinet. "With you, you need an emotional trigger to cause you to do this," He leaned so close that their noses grazed each other as he peered into his dark cobalt eyes. "_What happened?"_

"Why should I tell you?" The blonde suddenly growled, shoving Vanitas back with wide, angry eyes. He tried to stand but fell back against the counter. He kept his glare on the other man. "It's my problem, isn't it?"

Vanitas lunged at him, his hand going at his neck to pin him in place. "We're partners, damn it! I trust you with my life and you do the same! That means I want to know what's going on with you if it's a life threatening situation!" Vanitas didn't realize he was shouting, his golden eyes flashing dangerously. "I've got your back, remember?" Roxas's eyes lit for a moment as indecision crossed his face. Then, surprising Vanitas, tears began spilling from them. The blonde shook, his arms wrapping themselves around him.

"Roxas, tell me what happened."

"She…she was killed tonight," Roxas stammered. "And I was right there. But I couldn't even go against them. I-I saw their faces and I couldn't do it."

Vanitas listened to him carefully, watching him. "It's not your fault, Roxas."

"No, it is!" he cried in a heart-wrenching voice. "T-they wanted me to kill her! Instead, I just stood there and watched," Vanitas looked away. Roxas squeezed his eyes shut, attempting to close out the tears. "And they were smiling while they did it. I wanted to run so badly, but I knew it was just a show for me. A warning. Because I know that's exactly what they'll do to me. I've been playing it safe with them for too long, Van," he muttered. "I know I'll screw it up someday. I've got tabs to pay with them that I know I can't escape."

Vanitas put a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "But you know I'll always be there for you. I've got your back." He grinned brusquely. "They underestimate me." He then stood and held a hand out for his companion. Roxas groaned in pain as he was dragged up, his tendons protruding from the strain. Vanitas caught him, supporting the blonde's weight as he led him out of the bathroom.

"You're way screwed up, man," teased Vanitas as he took him to his bedroom. "But that's why I'm here for you, buddy." He dropped him on his bed before moving to the door.

"Next time though when you do happen to take your medication, don't take it all at once. Seriously, you scared the shit out of me." He grinned and left the blonde to his own thoughts.

Roxas laid there for what seemed like hours. Then, as if someone was pulling strings attached to his limbs, he slowly rose, wincing in pain as he stumbled over to the mirror above his dressed. His hand went to the tattoo on his shoulder, his fingers curling themselves over the black imbued ink. As he looked up, his eyes seemed the same shade of black. A dark wave passed over him as he felt himself falling back to his bed. His hand sharpened and he ferociously began clawing at the symbol. He threw his head back as both of his hands ran themselves over his face. His fingertips grazed the ring embedded in the flesh of his eyebrow. He began thrashing on the bed as all the haunting feelings of the addictiveness began spreading to his mind. It wasn't like he needed them, but the overwhelming urge to destroy himself ate at him mercilessly. He shivered as he felt a gnawing, crawling sensation across his back. It scattered over the webbing swatch of tattoos that covered his pale expanse. He twisted and turned, feeling the both punishing and gentle, burning agony of the fires of hell caressing him, calling him down. He began screaming until his throat felt raw, but no sound came out. His eyes shot open, bloodshot and wide as he felt the sensation swallow him. His hands sought out the entirety of his bare skin, ripping and shredding it to pieces, freeing the bright scarlet blood that lay beneath. His life force pulsed out, his heart beating erratically from his empty chest, the only remaining thing left. Slowly, the corrupting blackness began seeping into it, coating it in its disgusting, sticky substance. That was all he was after all, the epitome of darkness.

Roxas stared at himself in the blank mirror. In it he saw himself; a haunted and gaunt-looking blonde boy with blue eyes that held more pain than passion. He sucked in a sharp breath as the mirror rippled, revealing a black being with piercing gold eyes that bore into his empty soul. It seemed to emanate outwards, flooding out and reaching towards him in a long, seductive tendrils. He surrendered to it, closing his eyes as he felt it wrap around him, pulling him into a sensual embrace. Then he fell.

Vanitas was crashed out on the couch, his hand holding a cold cloth to his forehead, soaking the raven strands beneath. His eyes stared up at the ceiling accusingly as he thought of his blonde companion. He bit his lip in frustration as he sought out a way to bring him back from the brink of suicide. His head turned sharply at a creak of the floorboards. His eyes darted about, hearing the slight slither of movement. Suddenly, a pair of midnight blue eyes gazed down at him, wide and hungry. Vanitas quickly sat up in question, his eyes widening when the blonde grasped him by the shoulders, leaning into him. Vanitas was paralyzed in shock as he felt Roxas's tongue sweep over his lips, searching for entrance. His hands shook as they rose to push him away when Roxas pushed himself upon him, capturing his lips into a full kiss. The raven-haired man gasped as he felt Roxas's hands curl around his neck, caressing the short hairs that lined the flesh there. At his reaction, Roxas deepened the kiss, pressing his weight further upon the astonished man. He ground his hips into him instinctively. Roxas had completely lost himself when a blurred image of a beautiful blonde-haired woman painted itself in his mind. Her luscious platinum hair cascaded over his shoulder and her sparkling azure eyes lured him in. He could see her lips moving, forming the letters to his name agonizingly slowly but he could not hear a sound.

Roxas opened his eyes abruptly to see Vanitas's golden ones stared up at him in shock. Gasping, the blonde peeled himself off, his eyes wide in confusion. Vanitas kept stared at him, not saying a word as he hurried backtracked to his room, loudly shutting the door. Vanitas sighed loudly, rolling his head back.

"I fuck girls, man!" He cried before shoving a pillow over his face.

Roxas sunk against his door, his hands covering his face as he shook his head, trying to sort things out in his mind. When he looked up, his eyes wildly searched the room. They picked out a few objects: a gun lying on his desk; a knife hanging on his wall; a rope coiled beside his window. He licked his lips hungrily at each of the selected murderous weapons, darting beneath the three. He clumsily stood, taking a few steps forward. At that moment, Vanitas kicked open the door, a gun in his hand. Just as Roxas whipped around to see him, he swiped at him, knocking the blonde out instantly.

* * *

After regaining his composure, Vanitas suddenly snapped back to attention as his mind began to formulate what was wrong with his partner-in-crime. He quickly grabbed the laptop that was resting on the table before him, opening it. With just a couple clicks, he opened the monitor screens that registered the multiple cameras that he had laid out throughout the apartment. He rewound the footage a few hours back and craned his neck down as he observed the screen up close.

From an upward angle, Vanitas made out the blonde's form stumbling into the kitchen. A grimace made its way onto his face as he watched him open the cabinets, pulling out various bottles of alcohol, taking large swigs from them. He painfully watched the intoxicating effects of the alcohol start to take place in the blonde's system as he fell against the counter, drinking heavily from the bottle. The raven-haired man's breath caught in his throat as Roxas finally sunk to the floor as a wounded cry spilled from his lips. He guessed that he was crying. The question was: what had happened that caused Roxas to become so bent out of shape?

Vanitas's eyes widened as he leaped up from his place on the couch. Grabbing his gun from its position tucked in the back of his pants, he rushed to Roxas's room, treading as quietly and as swiftly as a swallowing shadow. He had seen the distinct label on the last bottle Roxas had substantially drained. It explained everything.

It hardly surprised him when he kicked open the door loudly with his boot to see the blonde nearly rushing towards the gun sitting plainly on his desk. The boy turned sharply, his eyes flashing with a disturbingly animalistic look in his eyes. In a single movement, Vanitas stepped forward and smashed the side of his gun into his friend's head. The blonde, already out of balance easily fell to the ground, knocked out. Vanitas stood over his fallen body, an expression of regret and satisfaction conflicting on his face.

"Time for a rest, blondie."

* * *

"Ven?" The blonde looked up over his desk to see his brunette friend looking at him. curiously. He set aside the paper he held in his hand, taking off his reading glasses.

"Hey, Sora," he said in a resigned tone. He ran his hands over his pants nervously, ridding his pals of their collected sweat. "Look, I'm sorry about the confusion yesterday. I called my friends and got it all sorted out. I went over to their place after the gala apparently. It was one of my friend's birthday and I got massively drunk, which explains why I wasn't able to remember Namine at all." He chuckled, hoping his friend would buy his claim. He was glad he was so naïve when Sora grinned and nodded in understanding.

"Oh, that makes sense. Well, hopefully you remember Namine now at least a little. You two looked good together." He said before skipping out.

Ven put a hand to his forehead, sighing in relief. He reached down and opened his bottom drawer. He pulled out a bottle of whiskey and an empty glass.

"God knows I need this," He muttered, pouring out a glass.

Namine slowly made her way through the busy café, searching for her friend. She smiled when she finally recognized Kairi's lustrous red hair.

"Namine!" Kairi instantly rose, grabbing her friend in a tight hug. Namine patiently hugged her back before taking her seat opposite the red head. After pushing forward the cappuccino she had ordered for her friend, Kairi eagerly lenaed forward over the table as she asked, "So, give me all the details of your date with Ven."

"Kairi, it wasn't a date," defended the blonde, trying to hide her blush. "We just danced."

"And you talked, right? You must have talked. What did you talk about?" Kairi's questions spouted from her mouth like bubbles as Namine's eyes widened at the overwhelming interrogation.

"He was very kind," she stated modestly, taking a sip. "We talked about our jobs mainly. Nothing too exciting."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Come on, surely there must've been something more stimulating in your conversation."

Namine nervously folded her hands. "Well, we did talk about the Shadow," she said quietly. "We went on that for a bit, I guess."

Kairi's eyes widened. "Ooh, I bet that was an interested subject. What did he say about it?"

Namine shook her head. "I mainly just told you my perspective on the matter. But he did…give me some odd compliments."

"Like what?" Kairi cocked her head curiously, her finger caressing the graceful curve of the handle on her cup.

"He said he liked my psychological opinion." She said meekly.

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Well, from what I saw, the two of you had really good chemistry," She looked away for a moment before turning back with wide eyes. "You and him should go on an actual date! It would be perfect!"

Namine vehemently shook her head. "I don't date, Kairi. You know that. I don't like having people with grudges with me and I don't like having grudges with others. And besides, I love my work. I don't want my life to get any more complicated."

Kairi sighed in frustration. "You just like everything to be organized and professional. You just haven't met the right person!" She stared at her friend with sharp eyes. "I think Ven is the one for you, Namine!"

The blonde rolled her eyes at the ludicrous exclamation. "That's ridiculous. You can't just tell that, Kairi."

Kairi crossed her arms, pressing her lips tightly together as her sculpted eyebrows descended upon her crystal blue eyes. "Why can't I? You can't deny it, Namine. You and Ven had the 'spark.'"

"You can't actually believe in that!"

"And why can't I?" Kairi defended. "Everything has a spark with someone. How else is love supposed to develop?"

Namine frowned. "Well, if such a spark does exist, then it must be able to go out."

Kairi gasped. "Whatever happened to believing in eternal love? Come on, Namine! Didn't you ever dream of finding your partner for life?"

Namine groaned. "Kairi, it's just crazy that two people would be able to love each other for all of eternity. The odds are completely against it. It's not natural."

"Your'e just saying that because of your parents," Kairi said sharply before suddenly covering her mouth at what she had said. "Namine, I didn't mean to say-"

"It's fine," Namine said quietly. "It's…just hard to believe in it when it was explicitly proved false right before your eyes," She tersely rose, grabbing her purse. "I'm sorry Kairi, but I think Ill go back to the office."

"Namine! I'm sorry!" Kairi called out, but the blonde ignored her as she weaved her way to the door.

Namine brusquely made down the sidewalk, tears stinging in her ears. She wrapped her arms around her, trying to hold in the pain. Maybe she was right. Maybe she just needed a sign to tell her to get on with her life. It still hurt though and her tears blurred her vision so that she didn't even see the man as she walked right into him.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't s-" Namine's eyes widened as she looked up at the man before her.

The man's eyes identically grew as he took in the recognition spreading over her features.

"Ven? Is that you?"

* * *

**1 hour earlier**

Roxas blearily opened his eyes, squinting at the blurriness of the developing scene before him. He immediately scowled when he recognized his roommate's who was staring at him closely. Roxas pushed himself off the hard leather couch he was laid upon, scratching his head as he felt the pounding headache in his temple.

"Damn, what happened?" he moaned. Vanitas's eyes narrowed to slits as he held up a bottle before the blonde. Roxas dismissively pushed it away as he gathered his thoughts.

"What the fuck were you thinking, drinking this?" The raven-haired man demanded, shoving it back into the blonde's face.

Roxas groaned. "What the hell is that anyway? Is that what gave me this fucking headache?" Vanitas let out an animalistic growl as he grabbed him by the shoulders, rattling all regained cognition out of him.

"This is absinthe, you idiot! I caught you drinking it on camera!" He grasped the blonde by his shirt (which Roxas didn't remember putting on) in a death grip. "You could've killed me while on this!"

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Oh, like that would be so heartbreaking for me."

"I'm serious! Be glad you only attacked me with a kiss." Vanitas's seriousness abruptly melted away as his trademark smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. Roxas's face instantly transformed into one of disgust. He quickly shoved himself away from the raven-haired man.

"Gah, what the – fuck no!"

Vanitas's smirk grew into a devious grin. "You're a good kisser, loverboy," Then he glared at him. "Not like I enjoyed it. Don't _ever_ do that again." He shook the half-empty bottle of green liquid in front of him. "And don't even think about touching this again. Many great minds have suffered because of this stuff." He rose to put the forbidden drink back in the cabinet.

"Then why the hell do you even have it, Van?" called Roxas. Vanitas slowly turned, a strange look crossing his face.

"Don't fucking question me, kid!" shouted Vanitas.

"If you're going to warn me about it, you might as well get rid of it!" countered Roxas.

"Fine!" Without hesitation, he dumped the remaining liquid down the sink. When he looked at Roxas with a smug look of satisfaction, he caught the blonde's smirk. A second later, he was leaning over the sink with his head plunged into its cavity.

"Fuck you! That's for Halloween!"

Roxas walked over to him, slapping him on the shoulder. "You said it, not me."

After breathing hard for a few moments, Vanitas spun around, giving Roxas a strange look. "You never took your medication did you? Even though the bottle on the bathroom floor was nearly empty?" he asked skeptically.

Roxas raised an eyebrow, not quite grasping the entire question. "What makes you think I ever take my medication?" He answered. Vanitas sighed. He glanced up at the blonde when his hand flew to his forehead. In the action, he noticed the stained bandages wrapped around his arms.

"Er, what else happened last night, Van?"

Vanitas scowled, turning and leaning against the counter with his arms crossed. "Well first off, I walked in at four in the morning to find you cutting yourself open with a razor in the bathroom," Roxas glanced at his bandages skeptically. "Then you told me of…Xion." Roxas opened his mouth to question what he was talking about when he stopped himself.

"Ah. So you do remember something." muttered Vanitas. Roxas's hands clenched as he brought them to his head.

"S-she's really gone, isn't she?"

Vanitas shrugged. "From what you told me, apparently." Roxas distractedly sat down onto one of the barstools, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"God, they made me watch. Then they did…the worst things you could imagine to her," His eyes were wide and pale as he recalled what he had seen earlier that morning. "That's why I was cutting myself…to see how it felt when Larxene took that knife to her," He shuddered at the memory. "But I didn't run. I just stood there and watched."

"You're not gonna go through the whole 'it's a warning for me' and all that again, are ya? 'Cuz I got all of that the first time." Groaned Vanitas as he rolled his eyes. Roxas turned his glare on him. It lightened a moment later.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I caused you this morning." Vanitas shrugged nonchalantly.

"Hey, we take care of each other." Roxas nodded in agreement before letting out a long groan.

"Ahh, fix me a cup of coffee, will ya?" Vanitas smirked, throwing him a mixed expression of guilt and humor.

"Um, sorry kid. I kinda used up the last of it trying to get over my hangover while you were still knocked out." Roxas gave him the ultimate death glare before backing off, not even bothering to ask him about his latter leak of information. With Vanitas, he didn't want to know. He rose from his seat, grabbing his coat from the closet.

"Hey, where you think you're going?" The raven-haired man snapped.

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Coffee, dumbass. I'll be back later."

He quickly left the apartment, holding his head in one hand as he descended the stairwell and stumbled upon the busy city street. He pulled on his hood to distract from his gray-rimmed bloodshot eyes. He was a little late in the day for the annual walk of shame. Roxas groggily made his way down the street, looking for the first coffee shop he could find. He was tempted to simply snatch someone' coffee and run when he felt a force run into him. A deep scowl carved into his face and his eyes narrowed, prepared to burn his victim with the fires of hell when his mind registered the familiarity in the small voice that spoke.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't s-" Roxas scrutinized the wide-eyed blonde girl before him when his brain flashed red warning signals as he recognized her.

"Ven? Is that you?"

'Oh shit, oh shit. Ahh fuck.' Roxas's eyes darted to the side, desperately trying to find a way out of his current situation. He finally turned his gaze back on her as his mind furiously whirred in attempts to formulate a story.

"A-ah, Namine. It's good to see you again." He spoke hesitantly, polishing the details to his story in his mind.

"Yes, it's quite a coincidence I ran into you," replied Namine, wringing her hands nervously, making Roxas wonder. "She looked him up and down, taking in his sloppy appearance. "You're not at work?" Roxas gulped, his lips trembling slightly. He was never this nervous in lying, so why was he now? Because of _her_? That was impossible.

Roxas quickly checked his watch. "Um, lunch break. I like to go work out at the gym during then." He clenched his teeth, hoping she'd buy it with his cargo pants and baggy sweatshirt. Namine slowly nodded, making his heart stop for a moment in disbelief.

"Ah, I just never pictured you doing so. I figured you'd be one of those guys who would work through lunch." She said with a small smile.

Roxas chuckled, sweat beading his forehead. "I like to stay healthy. It's one of my rules I bide to." He frowned as she looked down, wanting to escape her company as soon as possible.

"Listen, I really liked talking with you the other night. I-I was just wondering if maybe you'd be interested in seeing each other again."

Roxas paled and he realized her own cheeks were red. He figured that she was never so bold. He sighed. Wait, why was he even debating upon the matter? 'Say no, say no!'

"Sure," 'Fuck!' Roxas inwardly slapped himself. What the hell was wrong with him? "I'd…like that." _What_ the hell was he saying? His inner self was now clawing at his head.

Namine's face brightened as she smiled, making Roxas noticed how beautiful she was. "How does Friday night sound? At the Garden Plaza?" Roxas's eyes were wide and he felt completely overwhelmed as she began digging in her purse for something.

"Here's my card with my number on it," She smiled again, giving Roxas a weak feeling in his knees. "I'll see you the, OK?" She said, backing away.

'Stop her, Roxas! You can't do this, for God's sake!'

"Wait!" he called. "What time?" Roxas felt a stabbing pain in his side as he screwed up again. He could just picture his mental-self kicking him in the ribs. His fake smile faltered when that blush of hers came on again.

"Does seven sound all right?" Roxas faintly nodded. Then she smiled and left him. He numbly turned over the business card she had given him, staring at the number printed on it. He ran a hand over his face, letting out a loud groan of frustration, causing several people passing him to send him strange looks. He didn't blame them one bit.

Roxas dug into his pocket, pulling out his phone as he stowed the card away. He cursed himself for being so easily played by a girl as she reluctantly dialed the forbidden number.

* * *

Ven took off his glasses as he saw his phone vibrating on the desktop. He frowned as he caught the number on the screen. He hesitantly brought it up to his ear.

"What do you want?" He asked in an irritated tone.

"…I'm in trouble." Came the reply.

Ven rolled his eyes, sighing. "You know I can't help you with stuff like that, Rox."

"No, no Ven! I mean…I'm in trouble with a girl."

Ven frowned. "Wait, what? What do you mean?"

"Namine!" Ven removed the phone slightly at his brother's shout. "The girl I met while I was…being you."

Ven leaned forward onto his desk, taking a sidelong glance. "And your trouble is…?" He heard Roxas sigh on the other end of the line.

"She saw me today. She asked me out."

Ven's eyes widened a fraction. "You said no, right?" He already knew what the answer would be though.

Roxas didn't answer. Then: "I'm meeting her this Friday," Ven leaned back in his chair, putting a hand to his head. "What am I supposed to do, Ven?" Roxas's voice was strangely hoarse and desperate.

"You've got to do it, Rox," he said, catching the silence at the other end. "I can't do this for you. The most important meeting is always the first. You can't just erase the things you said when you were being me. Anyways, I thought you liked the girl. You should be thrilled."

"No, it's just…" Roxas trailed off, leaving Ven confused.

"Wait, you've been on a date before, right?"

"Of course I have!" Roxas snapped, startling Ven.

Ven scratched his head. "Then it shouldn't be a problem."

"No Ven, it's – I haven't been on a _real_ date in…I don't know how long." Said Roxas.

"What do you mean a 'real date'?" Ven suddenly shook his head as his ear was filled with silence. "Never mind, I don't want to know."

"Ven, I can't just be myself 'cuz I'm too busy being _you_," Roxas sighed. "And I can't just _tell_ her."

Ven rolled his neck, trying to figure out a solution. "Roxas, I can't tell you what to do. Whatever you do, it's going to affect you, not me. And if she comes to me, I'll just tell her it was you," Roxas remained silent. Ven continued, "So it's either you telling her yourself or me." Ven winced as Roxas hung up before setting his phone down. He sighed as he rubbed his temples. He knew that whatever his brother did would come crashing down on him, and it weighed down his heart.

* * *

"Woah, woah. Back so soon?" questioned Vanitas as Roxas marched into the apartment, slamming the door behind him. He twisted around from his position on the couch, watching him as he collapsed onto one of the barstools, his head falling into his hands. Vanitas pursed his lips, choosing his words carefully. "So…no coffee?" That was when Roxas snapped. The blonde's eyes latched viciously onto his, deep swirling pits of despair glaring back at him. Vanitas nearly flinched but scowled at Roxas's behavior.

"Dude, just tell me. It's not gonna kill you." Roxas's lip trembled slightly, but then his eyes softened.

"You're wrong, Van. I made a mistake that probably will be the death of me," His eyes darted away. "Eventually."

Vanitas raised his eyebrows at his cryptic words. "OK, you officially have me puzzled. Spill." Roxas let out a prolonged sigh, running an anxious hand through his already messy hair, worrying Vanitas even more.

"You know that girl I met at the gala?" Vanitas nodded, watching the blonde closely. His eyes were moving erratically and his hands had begun shaking. Roxas wiped his hands on the front of his pants in his nervousness. "You'd never – the odds are – I ran into her on the street."

"Did she recognize you?" he asked.

Roxas glared at him. "What do you think?" he snapped, to which Vanitas sent him an equally poisonous look. "Yeah. I made up a story to shake her off which thankfully she bought, but then she…she asked me out. To dinner. On Friday." Vanitas didn't say anything for a moment. Roxas glanced down in the silence. When he looked up, he was surprised to still see the raven-haired man staring at him.

"And did you say yes?" Vanitas's question startled the blonde. He stuttered as he began his response.

"Y-yes," Vanitas's eyes lit up at his affirmation, making Roxas's eyes widen. "I don't know what came over me, Van! It was as if I couldn't control my own words! I couldn't say no and I had two chances and I screwed both of them!" Vanitas chuckled at his companion's confusion. Roxas's face darkened at his reaction. "This is serious, Van!"

Vanitas ruffled his hair as he began laughing. "Man, you haven't been on a proper date since…hell even I can't remember," His eyes glinted mischievously. "Go out with her, Rox. I know you'll like it."

Roxas threw his hands into the air in frustration. "You're not listening to me!" Roxas backed away, pacing in a circle, his chest heaving. "If I go out with her as my brother, then all I'm doing is digging myself into a deeper hole! I can't do it! I know what happens when you build a tower of lies because it's happened before. I can't go through that again!"

He looked up. In his eyes, Vanitas saw a flash of desperation and he knew exactly what was going through his mind. "I can't keep running, Van. You and I both know that one of these days we'll get hit." He sighed, rubbing his temple. "I-I can't do it. I refuse to go down slowly this way." Vanitas stared at him, watching the blonde the scattered blonde.

"Get your shit together, man," Roxas's eyes snapped to him at his blunt words. "I don't want to hear how you're all fucked up and all of your fucking troubles. You deserve to go out and see this girl again. God, I hadn't ever seen you as happy as you were the other night after the gala. Granted, you weren't exactly happy, but that night I saw something in your eyes that I hadn't seen before." Vanitas crossed his arms, emphasizing his firm words.

Roxas shut his eyes as his mouth curved down into a frown. "Why should I even bother listening to you?"

Vanitas scoffed, "Because you're fucking miserable and I know that meeting with her will keep you from shooting yourself in the head."

"I'm not gonna shoot myself in the head!" Roxas retorted.

"Cut the fuck, Rox. I saw what you did this morning and I tell you, that's gonna happen again someday," Roxas rolled is eyes, making Vanitas let out a deep growl. "You're completely emotionally unstable! I don't care if you lie or cheat, but I know that the best thing you need to do is find something to tie you down and this girl is exactly what you need!" His eyes narrowed as Roxas walked away, ignoring him.

"You know I'm right! Maybe one of these days you'll quit all your bullshit and start living like a real human being!" He was answered only by the sound of Roxas's bedroom door slamming.

* * *

"Sir, sir! They got a call over in Traverse Town!" Hayner ran into Riku's office, his face pale. Riku immediately sat up in his chair at the news. "They…they think it was the Shadow."

"We don't assume with the Shadow anymore, lieutenant. Where did he hit?" Rik asked with an edge in his voice.

"The museum, sir. They noticed several artifacts missing." Hayner replied.

"Do they have any surveillance?"

"Hardly worth anything, sir. One second they're sitting there, another they're just…gone." Said Hayner.

"What about the lasers? And the glass cases?" pressed Riku.

Hayner scratched his head. "They only took the ones without cases. They snatched them right up as if…" Riku looked at him questioningly.

"As if what, Hayner?"

The blonde gulped, clearing his throat. "As if the lasers had been turned off, sir."

Riku sighed, running a hand over his forehead. "And the security guards?"

Hayner wrung his hands nervously. "Knocked out, sir. None were killed however." Riku relaxed slightly at his words.

"Well, put leads out for those artifacts. They're the only solid leads we can get here." Said Riku in an exasperated tone.

"Yes, sir." Replied Hayner before filing out of the office.

Riku slammed his fist down upon his desk. His head snapped up when a knock came from his door. He easily recognized the tall brunette man on its other side. He rose and pulled it open, a serious smile displayed on his face.

"Terra," he greeted, shaking his hand as he brought the man into his office. "Good to see you again."

"Yes, it is nice to see you, Riku." Replied the tall man. The two men sat down opposite of each other. Riku folded his hands on the desk between then.

"I gather you are here to talk about the security means for Saturday?"

Terra nodded. "Yes. As you know, the conference will be publicly held outdoors. The most significant topic for discussions is accommodating the security for such the exposed setting."

Riku nodded solemnly. "The most accessible security we can provide will be by rooftop. It will be also handy for clear supervision."

"And how many rooftops can you cover?" asked Terra.

Riku leaned forward at his question. "How much of a threat do you expect to be for this conference?" He cocked his eyebrow.

Terra's eyebrows lowered, darkening his eyes. "We will not accept anything less than the best security, Riku."

Riku sighed." All right, I understand. I'll have all of the surrounding buildings covered."

Terra nodded, satisfied. "Thank you." He rose, hesitating though as he reached the door.

"I heard about the Shadow's stunt in Traverse Town," he said, his voice low and dark. "Do you have an leads on him?"

Riku resentfully shook his head. "No, but he is definitely high on our priority list.

Terra clenched his fist as he put his hand on the door. "Well, I wish you the best of luck. That bastard is getting to be a thorn in everyone's sides." He nodded emphatically before taking his leave.

Riku walked to the window of his office, solemnly gazing out towards the city. He stood there for several long moments until the creak of the door interrupted his thoughts. Hayner peered into the office.

"Sir, the artifacts have turned up."

Riku turned. "Where?"

"At a black market in Hollow Bastien." Replied the lieutenant.

Riku promptly grabbed his coat, throwing it over his broad shoulders. "That's in our jurisdiction. Let's go."

The two moved out without hesitation. Riku's hand went to his pocket when he felt his phone vibrate. Digging it out, he caught the caller ID. Sora. With a sigh, he shoved it back away. Right now he had business to take care of.


End file.
